Online Reporter
Sikhumbuzo Moyo, [email protected]
A POLICE forensic fire investigation team yesterday went through the debris at a popular Bulawayo eatery — Fairy Café — that was razed by fire on Wednesday night, leaving 55 employees jobless.
Authorities are treating the incident as suspected arson, a position that police sources say will only change if forensic findings prove otherwise.
When the news crew visited the scene, at least eight officers were conducting investigations while a member of the restaurant’s management was seen engaging officials from a private security firm.
Moments later, a representative from the property’s insurers also arrived. Part of the building’s wall appeared structurally compromised, curving inward as investigators combed through the debris.
Employees said the premises’ alarm was triggered at around 2.20AM on Wednesday and a response team from a private security company attended the scene but reportedly found nothing unusual.
However, just over an hour later, smoke and flames emanating from the roof was noticed, sparking panic.
“When we eventually arrived at the scene, our suspicions were that perhaps gas cylinders had exploded, but that was not the case,” said one employee, who declined to be named.
Nothing was salvaged from the main restaurant area, although the Bulawayo Fire Brigade managed to save two fully stocked storerooms at the back of the property.
The scale of destruction could have been far worse.
The Bulawayo Fire Brigade’s rapid response prevented the inferno from spreading to neighbouring properties — including a building storing vehicle spares and highly flammable thinners and oils, as well as a medical facility housing dialysis patients and expensive life-saving equipment.
Bulawayo Chief Fire Officer, Mr Mhlangano Moyo, said the blaze was intense but firefighters managed to contain it within the restaurant’s structure.
“The fire fighters managed to save two storerooms that were fully stocked and cut the spread of fire to adjacent buildings,” said Mr Moyo.
He said on the left of the restaurant is a building housing spares and drums of thinners and oils while on the right is a facility dealing with dialysis patients which has very expensive equipment.
